Quilting some UFOs

Since I haven't been teaching classes, I have more free time lately. I wish I could say I'm using the time to the utmost. I'm not. But I have been working on getting some quilts from the UFO pile quilted. 

I don't have as many unfinished or in progress quilt projects as many people do because I have to finish them in order to use them for class models. I haven't always quilted them before using them. It is easier to hang quilts unquilted, plus I didn't always have the time to get it done. 

I started a series of samplers that I designed to help teach different aspects of quilting. These proved to be popular, so I continued. This was #5, Row by Row, which I made in about 2007. I always use a different setting and different blocks. Eventually I started designing new blocks as well, but for this one I used traditional blocks.

My quilting machine is an oldie and doesn't always want to cooperate, (or it might be me not being consistent in my movements....), but it's been working pretty well lately. Conrad has really taken a fancy to this quilt, taking every opportunity before and after the binding to sleep on it.  

It is hard to bind with him around sometimes!

Rolling Hills

I recently made the Rolling Hills quilt by Miss Winnie Designs. I loved the ease of putting it together piece by piece. I loved that it used a jelly roll and a background. So simple. I recently had it quilted by my friend, Michael. He is a master at machine quilting and chose this gorgeous design for the empty places on the quilt. 

I need to get some better pix of the whole quilt now that it's quilted. It was too windy when I finished it and keep forgetting to take it outside when it's not windy or rainy. 

My friend Conrad was also very helpful in finishing this quilt.

Or not.

He likes the binding as well as the quilt.

I love this diagonal striped -like fabric for the binding. 

You can see the quilting better on some of these pictures. All done! I was supposed to teach a class on making this quilt, but due to social distancing, I'm not sure when I will be teaching classes again. I will be ready when I do!

Bluebird is ready to fly...or at least to quilt!

 I sewed the borders on Bluebird last night and love how it looks with the quilt. I used the same fabric as I had used on the triangles that straighten it up top and bottom. As you can see, it's Conrad approved.

 Smokey is still deciding.

I love this teal batik and pieced a back out of it for the quilt. I can't wait to get it quilted. 

I will get some cat less pictures later. He really didn't want to get off!

Pets on Quilts Show

If you haven't visited Lily Pad Quilting yet for her Pets on Quilts Show...you need to check it out now! Lots of fun posts about pets on quilts and you can vote for your favorite one. Here is the link for the virtual show and you can vote here by leaving your vote for your favorites in four categories in the comments. Her directions are very clear on how to do this. You can win prizes just for visiting and voting on your favorites, even if you didn't enter the show.

I had to enter Smokey and Conrad as we all know they love quilting and like to make each of my quilts their own. My post is here and if you want to vote for them, you just comment --Cat on Quilt-#55 here in the comments. Have fun visiting the show!

He ain't Goldilocks!

 I loaded and began the quilting on a new version of Which Way is Up? the other day. I took a break and when I came back someone was sleeping on MY quilt! I usually close the door as the cats think a quilt pulled tight on the frame makes a nice hammock, but I must've forgotten, or didn't close it tight. Luckily I had rolled it back before I left it so it was resting on the table.

 As you can see, I used many gorgeous batiks for this one, loving the colors and designs all melding together. I do love batiks!

 I am using the Drift panto by Keryn Emmerson...it flows well and gives some curviness to an angular design, which  I like. I plan on working on it again today as I have two more that need to be quilted.

 I taught my last Kid's Camp Bag class yesterday. It was fun and I will post the pix tomorrow. One of the young quilters took some of the pix for me, as she and her friends were leaving and I was busy with the girls still finishing. But she forgot to have someone take her picture, so I'm hoping they will take it and send it to me so I have all six.

After class I went out to Cut Up and Quilt to get some fabric and a Strip Tube Ruler for a demo I will be doing there on Aug. 30 as part of their 2nd Anniversary party. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years for them already, but it's sure to be a fun event with drawings, and lots of savings! If you live in our area, mark your calendar and plan on coming by.

I also got some fabric yesterday to back my newest design, so I want to get it put together soon so it's ready to go on the machine when I finish this one. I go back to school on Aug. 27, so have a long list of to-dos to complete before then. Wish me luck!

Someone with a no reply email asked yesterday if I will be teaching a class on the Whatcha Got? bag...I am planning to do so. If you are local and interested in that class, please email me privately at quiltinjeanie@yahoo.com and I will let you know when I post it.

Hide and Seek anyone?

I found Smokey in the middle of the quilt sandwich while it was ON the quilting machine.

Do you have helpers like this? 

Conrad ...always helping

These are my cats on quilts.....Head back to Pets on Quilts....

New projects

I've been busy cutting pieces for two new quilts,so I don't have much to show for it yet. I usually cut on the kitchen counter, since it's a perfect height for me and I can walk around three sides for easy cutting. But I used my extra table by my machine to cut the other day and Conrad was living dangerously! It is handy to have an extra table for the inspector!

 Luckily he doesn't get up on the kitchen counter much, though Smokey does like to watch me cut occasionally. I have started sewing one of them together. It's a very scrappy tessellation type quilt, so I'm excited to get it finished. I am going to use the other new design for a mystery quilt, so I will start it after I'm finished with this one.

 I bought myself a present during Cut Up and Quilt's 12 Days of Christmas sales...it's the Gypsy Sit Upon...which is supposed to help with back issues when sewing. I have a pretty good system at home, so not sure I need it there, but thought it would be good for sewing elsewhere. It's kind of like sitting on one of those large exercise balls, there's a balance issue. I will be sewing away from home today, so I'm taking it with so I can test it out.

 Maybe he's guarding the quilt????

It's all in a name..

 I spent a good part of yesterday painting the front porch. After hanging like a monkey to reach some of it, I was ready for a letter break. I had made the letters last week and had sewed several different strip sets together to see how they would look with it. First I needed to surround it with background fabric.

 I had thought I would use the blue and grey uneven check below the name and the colorful checks above, but that didn't look right. (I forgot to take a picture)

 So I tried the colorful checks all around, and that looked great! Then I tried a couple of different versions of the blue/grey checks.....

 It just didn't do what I had hoped it would. So I ended up with a blue border surrounding it all. I like that the best so far. It isn't sewn together yet, I am still eyeing it as I go by.

It's sprinkling this morning, so I won't be painting for a little while. I want to give the porch a second coat of primer, so unless it rains a lot, I will probably be able to do it later.

I tried to replace my tension spring on my quilting machine yesterday but I couldn't get the tension unit out of the machine. They told me what to unscrew, but I must've forgotten something. I am going to call them later and see if they can walk me through it again. They sent me directions on putting the spring in the unit, but because my machine is an old model they didn't have pictures showing how to take the unit out of the machine. They are very helpful, so hopefully I can get it figured out. 

Kid's Camp Pillow and Conrad....

 I finished the kid's camp Cobblestone Floor Pillow the other night...hopefully it will display well alongside the pj pants. It's fun teaching kids the sewing and quilting basics. They are much freer with color expression than we are, and I find that interesting. Plus they just love making things!

I trimmed the flying geese quilt Sunday after I finished quilting it, then cut the binding.... it turned into a kitty bed while my back was turned.

 I started binding it last night before my Sampler 16 class. It will be finished soon, even though I found a broken stitch in the quilting while binding it, so now I have to figure out a way to fix it without it being too noticeable  I have no idea how it happened, if I caught the needle on it when moving the machine or what, but I am not happy! It's right on a section of the darker teal too! I have tonight's work cut out for me!

Aren't we comfy?

I cut the borders for the new sampler last night. It has two final borders, but one of them is only on the top and bottom. I got that one sewn on and half of the last border. It shouldn't take me too long to finish it tomorrow night. I need to figure out what to name it too!

I also ran the copies for the sampler class that begins Wed. night. I have a Sampler Pick, with several people doing different samplers in the same class, so had to run several different sets of patterns.

I also watched The Following...that show gets creepier every week.

Still no fix for my no-reply comment problem.

Still sewing....

 When I went out to Cut Up and Quilt on Saturday to teach the T-shirt Quilt class, Cindy was there and had brought the Twister quilt she had worked on during the retreat for show and tell. It's finished and ready to cuddle a baby!

The T-shirt Quilt class went well, and everyone got a good start on making their quilt, but it was so busy I forgot to take pictures! Can you believe it? Maybe I'll have some finished pictures to show in a few weeks!

I cut out another block for Sampler #17 last night and then spent the rest of the evening figuring out the last two blocks. I thought I had them figured out, but decided to revamp them. I really need to have this quilt finished by Monday, but it's not looking like I will make it at this point. Three more main blocks, 4 corner blocks, and then put it all together. Snow day anyone?

I got everything ready to sew on Sunday, and turned around to sit down at my machine and look who was waiting. What is it about cats and sewing?

Sunday Sewing with my pals

 I spent all day Sunday sewing and watching episodes of The Closer (love that show!). I finished the Sparkling Prisms quilt and went back to the flying geese project. I may eventually finish this one...

if I don't have to keep doing as much unsewing as I do sewing.

I no sooner started working on it than Conrad came along to help. He settled in pretty quickly and fell asleep.

It's pretty hard to sew with a cat on your quilt. 

It seemed a shame to wake him up. It's sort of like when they get comfy on your favorite chair. Do you make them move, or sit somewhere else?